


sugar, sugar

by orphan_account



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Chuck is a dick, Fluff and Angst, Jughead Jones is Not Asexual, M/M, archie is an idiot in love, background betty/veronica, background kevin/joaquin, betty and veronica are angels in love, dealing with the aftermath of grundy, jughead isn't homeless!, mr. andrews is the best, reggie is a sweetheart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-14
Packaged: 2018-09-28 04:03:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10070609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Archie made Jughead feel special, like he was more than a disappointing son or the weird loner kid at school. Archie knew him better than anyone. Jughead built walls; Archie knocked them down. Jughead moves in with Archie after it's discovered that he's homeless. Everything seems perfect, until a new girl moves to town and steals Archie's heart. Then it doesn't seem so perfect.TEMPORARILY ON HIATUS: i haven't had a chance to see the recent Riverdale episodes and i'm not sure i'll be able to anytime soon, so i'm going to leave this on hiatus and finish writing it when the canon of season one is concrete. i don't want to write things now and have to change them if something new comes up in the series. sorry for the inconvenience!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> a/n: in this fic, jughead jones is not asexual. i support him as asexual and wish he was ace in the tv canon, but he's not and i'm writing this based on the tv show.

It’s only halfway through first period on a Monday, and Jughead is already tired of school. His day had started great- he caught up with Betty and Veronica, and sat with them in the student lounge before class. Jughead could only guess as to when they’d resolve the stifling sexual tension surrounding them, but he hoped for his sake it would be soon. It was cute, sure, but also made it hard to keep a conversation going when two of the participants kept stealing glances at each other. Eventually Kevin joined them, but Archie was nowhere to be seen. Jughead questioned his absence, but let it go. Archie was probably oversleeping again. They had fun without him, though, and it was annoying to leave for class. Considering he had roughly four friends and none of them were in his class, Jughead was not feeling optimistic. Unfortunately, Chuck was, and he had made it his duty to make Jughead’s life a living hell. 

“Hey, Drughead, how did it feel when your mommy left you in a dumpster?” Chuck taunted, leaning back in his chair a few rows ahead of Jughead. Jughead kept the illusion of nonchalance, only crooking a smile and crossing his arms.

“Great nickname, Chuck, but at least I don’t need Viagra to get my dick up,” Jughead smirked. Chuck flushed an unflattering shade of red, and threw himself out of his seat, shouldering his way through the rows between him and Jughead.

“Think, you’re so smart, huh?” He hissed. Jughead’s smile grew larger- it was so fun to mess with Chuck. 

“Well y-” Jughead started. He was cut off by a swift blow to his face, hitting the side of his cheekbone and his eye. Jughead swore and doubled over, grunting as Chuck drove his knee into Jughead’s chest, grabbing him hard by the shoulders and dragging him out of his chair. People were turning in their seats, their faces filled with shock, sympathy, or simply indifference. Chuck didn’t relent until Jughead was on the floor, bleeding from his mouth and wheezing with rattling breaths. Chuck let out a cruel laugh and returned to his seat. Jughead carefully raised himself up on one arm, ignoring the pain in his ribs, and pulled himself back into his seat. He ignored the worried look of the guy next to him and grabbed his bag, refusing to let Chuck see him cry. Jughead limped out of the classroom.

He dragged himself to the boy’s bathroom, chest heaving, and chanced a look in the mirror. Jughead drew a sharp breath- his eye was swollen and starting to bruise, as was his cheekbone. Blood was trickling out of the corner of his mouth, and Jughead didn’t even want to look at his ribs. He sank to the floor, his back against the wall, and cradled his head in his hands. There was at least another forty minutes until the period ended, so he had time to gather himself before he had to see anybody. At least, until-

“Jug! What happened?!??” Archie rushed over from the doorway, dropping the backpack he had slung over his shoulder on the ground and crouching down in front of Jughead. Jughead looked up, his head lolling a little and his eyes slightly glazed over. Archie carefully cupped his hands around Jughead’s jaw, and rubbed his cheek with his thumb softly. Jughead gave a small smile.  
“Only care about my pretty face, Andrews?” He said softly, raising his hand and holding loosely onto Archie’s wrist. Archie laughed a little, but turned serious in an instant.

“Jughead… What happened?” He asked again. Jughead sighed, not wanting to tell the truth, but knowing that Archie would keep persisting until he got what he wanted.

“It was Chuck,” Jughead admitted. Archie’s face twisted, angry and regretful and sad all at the same time. 

“Where did he get you, Jug?” Archie asked, an uncharacteristic show of gentleness for a guy who was generally completely oblivious. 

“Face, shoulder, and ribs,” Jughead said. Archie released his face softly and unzipped his backpack, rummaging around until he pulled out a long roll of gauze. He turned back to Jughead and tugged on his jacket.

“Okay, Jug, I’m gonna need to take off your shirt,” Archie declared, already reaching for the collar of Jughead’s jacket. Jughead gave him an odd look.

“I can take my shirt off myself, Archie,” He replied, attempting to shrug off his jacket and wincing harshly. Archie raised an eyebrow.

“Juggie, let me do it,” He said, softly grabbing Jughead’s hands and pulling them away from the jacket. Archie returned to his task of pulling it off, slipping it down his slim shoulders and off of his arms. Archie balled the jacket up and threw it on top of the backpacks. Jughead’s breathing was labored, his chest heaving under his thin t-shirt. Archie slipped his hands under the cotton and slowly drew it up over Jughead’s torso, his fingers delicately running over the soft plane of his chest. Jughead winced as Archie’s palms ran over his ribs. Archie pulled the shirt off of Jughead, making sure to be careful so as to not knock off his beanie. Jughead laughed.

“I don’t need this, Andrews, I can handle myself,” he said. Archie shook his head. 

“Jug, we need to wrap your ribs. They’re already bruising. Let me do it,” He sighed. Jughead attempted to struggle, but Archie gently pressed a hand to Jughead’s chest and stopped him. “Seriously, Jug, I’m doing it,” Archie grabbed one end of the gauze and slipped it behind Jughead’s back, carefully bringing his arm around and securing the bandage in front. Jughead winced as Archie pulled the gauze tighter, making sure that it wasn’t going to shift. 

“Could you possibly pull any tighter, Andrews?” Jughead said, his voice pained. Archie steadied one hand on Jughead’s waist, his large hand carefully placed on the cool skin.

“You have a very small waist, did you know that?” He said, eyes concentrated on the careful work of his hand. Jughead scoffed.  
“Oh, goodie. I can finally win the local pageant, I’ve always wanted to be Little Miss Riverdale,” Jughead mocked breathily, attempting to ignore the pain in his ribs and focus on the warm touch of Archie’s hands. Jughead was perpetually cold- he always wore three layers and was still freezing. Being shirtless in a boy’s bathroom? He could barely feel his skin. Archie’s hands were warm, and calloused from his work over the summer, and they were heaven on Jughead’s sore ribs. Archie quickly finished his work and secured the bandage with a pin, gently releasing Jughead’s waist and letting him relax against the wall.

“Better?” Archie worried. Jughead cracked a smile.

“Yeah… It’s certainly better than being attacked by a hulk of a guy, that’s for sure,” Jughead huffed. Archie smiled.

“I better get back to class, Jug. Do you want to meet up at Pop’s after school? I think Betty and Veronica are already going,” Archie offered, grabbing his bag and standing up. Jughead smiled.

“Only if you’re treating,” He laughed. Archie grinned back, and waved as he exited the bathroom. Jughead let his head fall back against the cool tile wall, placing a hand on his chest and trying to stop the frantic beating of his heart.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jughead was early to Pop’s that evening. He had lasted through third period, but the concerned stares of the other students and his teachers pushed him over the edge. Before fourth period, Jughead gave up and left out the back door. He went straight to Pop’s, despite knowing how disappointed Pop would be that he was skipping again. When Jughead got in, though, the look he got from Pop was more concerned than anything else. Before long, he was given a bag of frozen peas and the stern instruction to “use it, or else!” from Pop himself. Jughead shouldn’t have expected anything else, really- when he was younger and less put together, he had let slip that he didn’t have a place to sleep, and Pop had let him stay at the diner for a week or so while he found a more permanent place. Jughead appreciated the sentiment, even if he couldn’t imagine that someone cared that much.

He worked on his novel for several hours, until, finally, Veronica and Betty showed up. And damn, maybe he shouldn’t have skipped, because something big had evidently gone down, given the fact that Veronica’s arm was slung low around Betty’s waist in a way that was more than friendly. Jughead smirked.

“So you two finally resolved your sexual tension?” He asked slyly. Betty blushed and Veronica grinned as they sat down. They were both glowing, their fingers loosely intertwined on the vinyl seat between them, and their shoulders touching slightly.

“I finally kissed her after cheerleading, and, well…” Veronica smirked and kissed Betty on the cheek. Jughead high fived her.

“By the way, Juggie, are you okay? Archie told us what happened with Chuck,” Betty said softly, extending her hand and gently touching his wounded cheek. 

“Yeah, that happened. Where is Archie, anyways?” Jughead asked. Veronica’s expression turned dark. 

“Oh, you weren’t at lunch, so you didn’t meet her. Archie is off on a date with the new girl, Kimberly Woolsworth, or something. She seems fine, but Archie is head over heels for her,” Veronica said scathingly. Jughead felt a pang in his chest as Betty nodded.

“Do you think that maybe… after Ms. Grundy, Archie doesn’t remember what it’s like to actually date?” Betty asked tentatively. 

“Oh, hell yeah. I mean- he obviously had the hots for Valerie, but when they started dating, he didn’t let her tell anyone about it. It’s like he doesn’t remember what a real relationship is,” Veronica agreed vehemently. Valerie had soon grown tired of hiding their relationship, and had broken it off. Jughead shifted in his seat. He tried to ignore the twisted up feeling in his stomach. A second later, the door opened and Kevin entered the diner, looking giddy and making a beeline to their table. He slid into the booth next to Jughead.

“Hey, guys! So, I heard that you two finally got together,” Kevin laughed, his eyes darting between Betty and Veronica. Betty blushed, once again, and slung her arm around Veronica’s shoulder. Kevin smiled and turned to Jughead, but his face fell at the sight of his bruise. “That looks nasty,” he said sympathetically. Jughead nodded. Kevin turned back to Betty and Veronica and started a conversation, and Jughead zoned out. He generally ignored Kevin, seeing as he had no interest in the hottest gossip of Riverdale High. Before long, they were all wrapped up in a deep conversation about some guy on the football team, and Jughead could tell it was his cue to leave.

“Gotta go,” He said flatly, swinging his leg over the back of the booth and sliding out of the seat. Veronica waved goodbye and Kevin shot him a smile.

“Bye, Juggie,” Betty said brightly. Jughead nodded to them and grabbed his backpack, waving goodbye to Pop and leaving the diner. He walked out of the parking lot and set off towards the center of town. He was tired, but Jughead winced as he remembered that he didn’t have a place to sleep for the night. Jughead walked idly until he ended up at the park, and he immediately regretted it.

Archie was sat on a bench near a small fountain, enthusiastically kissing a girl who was sitting on his lap.

That must be the new girl, then, Jughead thought disdainfully. The girl was fairly small, probably around Betty’s height, and had long chestnut brown hair. Archie’s hands were running down her sides and under her skirt, and Jughead promptly turned on his heel and walked out of the park. He seriously needed some brain bleach to wipe that horrifying memory from his mind, but he couldn’t help but remember the way that Archie’s hands had carefully bandaged his ribs just a few hours before. Jughead ducked his head as he walked down the street, not wanting anybody more than necessary to know about his many injuries. He kept his eyes focused on his shoes, trying to ignore the pain that shot through his ribs every time he moved.

As he walked past the grocery store, he heard the voice of Fred Andrews, Archie’s dad and the person Jughead respected the most.

“Oh, hey, Jughead!” He called cheerfully, walking over. Jughead slowly lifted his head and winced as he felt Mr. Andrews’s shocked eyes on him.“Oh my god, Jug- what happened to your face?” Mr. Andrews dropped his grocery bags and rushed over to Jughead, his expression concerned. Jughead sighed.

“I got hit in the face,” Jughead admitted. He hated lying to Mr. Andrews, and he didn’t want to cope with the guilt he would feel later if he did.

“Jughead, you’re coming back to my house. We’ve got to patch you up, and I’d like to talk to you about something,” Mr. Andrews said firmly. Jughead just nodded- he didn’t want to fight with Mr. Andrews. Mr. Andrews smiled, and grabbed his grocery bags. They walked to the house, and Jughead was relieved to see that Archie wasn’t home yet. He didn’t want to talk with him right now, not when he’d just seen him making out with some girl he barely knew. Mr. Andrews put away the groceries and pulled out an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel, handing it to Jughead as he pulled up a chair. Mr. Andrews let out a sigh.

“Jug, I haven’t gotten the chance to talk to you after the incident with Ms. Grundy. I’m assuming you know about that?” Mr. Andrews said tentatively. Jughead nodded.

“Yeah, I found out before the others did. And for the record, I told Archie to tell you, but he didn’t listen to me,” Jughead answered quietly. This wasn’t what he had expected to talk to Mr. Andrews about. 

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. What do you think about that? I feel like Archie changed,” Mr. Andrews said gently. Jughead nodded-he wasn’t going to hold back this time. Mr. Andrews was just a worried dad, and Jughead respected him enough to answer without sarcasm.

“I think that he- he definitely changed. She was manipulating him, and now he can’t keep a relationship going. I don’t trust Grundy, but at least she’s gone,” Jughead said blankly. Mr. Andrews nodded sadly.

“That’s what I feared would happen. Would you keep an eye on him for me, Jug?” Mr. Andrews asked, patting Jughead’s hand. Jughead cracked a smile.

“I always do, Mr. Andrews,” he replied. Mr. Andrews smiled back at him.

“Do you want to stay for dinner? We’re ordering Pop’s,” Mr. Andrews asked kindly. Jughead nodded excitedly.

“I’m always up for Pop’s, Mr. Andrews,” Jughead grinned. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was half past five by the time that Archie returned home, his hair mussed and his lips smeared with lipstick. Luckily, Mr. Andrews was upstairs and Jughead saw Archie first.

“Have fun?” He grinned as Archie walked into the kitchen. Archie raised his eyebrows and shot him a smirk, dropping his bag by the door and pulling up a chair next to Jughead.

“Sorry for ditching you at Pop’s, Jug. How’s your face?” Archie asked sympathetically, leaning forward onto the table and gently touching the large bruise on Jughead’s cheekbone. Jughead leaned into the touch slightly, feeling the soft pads of Archie’s fingers. He coughed, embarrassed, and felt his cheeks flush.

“Um- I’m, uh, fine, but my ribs are still hurting,” Jughead stuttered. Archie grinned.

“Jug, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you stutter,” Archie laughed. Jughead scowled.

“I didn’t stutter,” he said grumpily. Archie laughed again.

“Sure, Jug. Are you staying for dinner? Dad said that we’re getting Pop’s,” Archie offered. Jughead grinned.

“Yeah, I am. I’m gonna run to the bathroom,” Jughead said. Archie nodded.

“Okay. Can I borrow your textbook for Biology? I left mine at school,” Archie asked. Jughead nodded, only half-listening.

“Yeah, sure, it’s in the backpack,” He remarked. Jughead walked up the stairs just as Mr. Andrews came down. Mr. Andrews walked over to the table and ruffled Archie’s hair.

“Hey, Archie. Where have you been all afternoon?” He asked jestingly as Archie unzipped Jughead’s backpack and began digging for the textbook.

Archie didn’t answer. His hands stilled as he looked for the textbook, because he had found out something far more important. Shoved in next to the textbook were clothes, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and a sleeping bag. Archie blanched and sat up, leaning across the table.

“Dad… I don’t think Jughead… I don’t think he’s living anywhere right now,” Archie said quietly, meeting his father’s eyes. Mr. Andrew furrowed his brow.

“Arch… What makes you think that?” He asked gently. Archie gestured to the backpack. 

“There’s, like, a sleeping bag, and clothes, and stuff. And he’s always at school early and at Pop’s late, and I haven’t been to his house in years. We need to talk to him,” Archie said earnestly. Mr. Andrews sighed.

“That sounds like we do need to talk to him. Look, let me call in our order for Pop’s, and then you can go pick it up. I’ll talk to him while you’re out,” Mr. Andrews said quietly. “I hope Jug knows that he can talk to me about anything.” A minute later, Jughead came back down and shot Archie a grin. 

“Hey, Jug, I’m ordering Pop’s. What do you want?” Mr. Andrews handed him the menu. Jug smiled.

“Two cheeseburgers, fries, and a chocolate milkshake,” He rattled off, not even looking at the menu. Mr. Andrews laughed, patting Jughead’s shoulder.

“As I expected,” he said. Archie grinned, and adjusted Jughead’s beanie, much to his annoyance. Mr. Andrews grabbed the phone and left the room going to call in the order. Archie leaned over the table and looked at Jughead, scanning his face,

“Jug, how are your ribs?” Archie asked. Jughead shrugged. 

“I mean, they’re not terrible, but I should probably rewrap them pretty soon,” Jughead sighed. He would have preferred to not have to wrap them at all, but Archie was nothing if not overprotective. 

“Yeah, I can do it for you after I pick up the order from Pop’s,” Archie smiled. Mr. Andrews walked through the door and shot Archie a smile.

“I called the order in, Arch. Thanks for picking it up!” Mr. Andrews clapped Archie on the shoulder and took the seat he had been sitting in. Archie waved and walked out the front door, setting off down the street towards Pop’s. Mr. Andrews sighed, and Jughead braced himself for whatever he had to say.

“Now, Jug, I’ve got to ask…” Mr. Andrews began. “Do you have a place to live?” He asked gently. Jughead ducked his head, trying to stop the tears that he knew would begin to flow.

“I...I’m not living anywhere right now, no,” he said quietly. Mr. Andrews sighed.

“Jug, why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve helped you,” he said. Jughead shook his head, crying openly.

“I tried, Mr. Andrews. I was going to tell Archie about it on road trip, but… he didn’t come,” Jughead admitted, wiping his eyes. Mr. Andrews looked at him like his heart was breaking.

“Jug, how long have you been homeless?” Jughead averted his eyes.

“A year,” he cried. Mr. Andrews let out a shaky breath.

“Jughead, I’m so sorry. Look- we have a spare bedroom, and I’d like you to have it. I’ve known you since you were a kid, Jug. You’re like a son to me. Please, stay with us?” Mr. Andrews pleaded. Tears were flowing freely on both sides now, and Jughead nodded fervently. He had let his emotions show through for the first time in years.

“Yes, I’d- I’d like that, Mr. Andrews, that’d be good,” Jughead stammered. Mr. Andrews smiled and patted Jughead’s hand.

“So- I thought that you were living with your parents? What happened?” He asked kindly. Jughead shrugged.

“A year and a half ago, Mom found out that Dad was in the Southside Serpents. He had been hiding it for years. So, Mom and Dad had a fight, and then Mom left and took Jellybean with her. I was stuck with Dad, but… there were drugs, and crime, and I just couldn’t feel safe there. So I left,” Jughead heaved a deep breath. “And, for a while, I was fine. Pop let me sleep in the diner for a week in the beginning, and then I moved into the Twilight Drive-In. I slept up in the upper booth where nobody else went, but I had to move after it got demolished. So, I’ve been just… managing,” Jughead admitted. Mr. Andrews looked heartbroken.

“I wish you had told me, Jug. I could’ve helped,” Mr. Andrews said. Jughead sighed.

“I didn’t want to impose,” Jughead said. Mr. Andrews smiled and shook his head.

“Jughead, you’re always welcome here. Do you want to see the guest bedroom?” Mr. Andrews stood up. Jughead nodded. Mr. Andrews started up the stairs, then turned. He pulled Jughead into a tight hug, patting him on the back, and then showed him up the stairs.

Mr. Andrews pulled open the door next to Archie’s room, and showed Jughead in. It was fairly small, but it had a higher ceiling than Jughead was accustomed to. The room was sparsely decorated-there was an old sofa bed in the middle of the room and a short bookcase. Mr. Andrews frowned.

“Damn, I forgot- all the stuff in here is pretty old. We can go shopping for new furniture tomorrow,” He said, beaming. Jughead was struck; Mr. Andrews was willing to spend money on new furniture, just for him?

“Um, it’s fine, Mr. Andrews, I can sleep on this. You don’t need to spend money on me,” He said. Mr. Andrews laughed. 

“Jug, it’s fine. I needed to buy new furniture in here anyways. Besides, I’m pretty sure that the springs in the sofa are busted. I’m going to throw out the sofa tonight so we don’t have to do it when we get the new bed. Do you mind sleeping in Archie’s room?” Mr. Andrews asked. Jughead nodded.

“Yeah, that’s fine. Thank you so much, Mr. Andrews,” Jughead said quietly. Mr. Andrews clapped his hand on Jughead’s shoulder.

“It’s fine, Jughead. I-”

“Hey, I’m home!” Archie called. Mr. Andrews grinned.

“Ready for dinner?” Mr. Andrews asked. Jughead nodded.

“Always,” He grinned. They walked downstairs to find Archie already opening the bag and pulling out their orders. Archie shot Jughead a quick smile.

“Archie, Jughead is going to be living with us from now on,” Mr. Andrews said. Archie’s face lit up.

“That’s great!”

“And we’re going furniture shopping tomorrow. Do you want to come?” Mr. Andrews offered. Archie nodded fervently.

“Oh, sure! Hey, Jug, here’s your food,” Archie said, giving Jughead his order. They settled into comfortable conversation, and before long they were finished.

“Arch, Jughead is sleeping in your room tonight because the sofa bed is terrible. Can you help me move it to the street?” Mr. Andrews said. Archie nodded.

“Okay Dad,” He replied. They left to go upstairs. Jughead threw out the trash from their meal, and a minute later Mr. Andrews and Archie came back down, the couch on their shoulders.

“Hey, Jug, would you mind grabbing the door?” Mr. Andrews grunted. Jughead rushed to the door and pulled it open, watching as they shouldered through the door to the curb, and threw the couch down by the side of the road. They returned to the house, Archie scowling and rolling his shoulder.

“Glad that’s done,” Mr. Andrews said. “I have to do a work call, so you guys should head upstairs. Archie, why don’t you help Jughead get settled in?” 

“Sure thing, Dad. C’mon, Jug,” Archie tugged Jughead by his sleeve, dragging him up the stairs. They walked into Archie’s bedroom, and he shut the door behind them. It was just as Jughead remembered from the last time he was there- the bed neatly made, despite the fact that everything else was messy. There were posters on the slanted walls, and the whole room smelled like teenage boy mixed with a little bit of pine. Archie sat down on the bed and patted the space next to him.

“Wanna watch a movie?” He asked, pulling his computer onto his lap. Jughead mulled it over.

“On one condition,” he said. Archie raised an eyebrow.

“And what’s that condition?” Archie asked, leaning back onto one elbow. Jughead smirked.

“It’s not one of your shitty action movies,” he replied. Archie swatted him on the arm.

“Hey! I love my shitty action movies. So what are we watching?” Archie questioned. Jughead sighed.

“I don’t know, what about… Heathers?” He offered. Archie looked confused.

“Isn’t that the one that’s, like, “on Wednesdays we wear pink?” Isn’t that Heathers?” Archie asked, his brows knitted together. Jughead gave him a withering look.

“That’s Mean Girls. Heathers is the classic high school movie with cliques, outsiders, and a romance for the record books,” Jughead explained fervently. Archie couldn’t help but smile- Jughead was so passionate about so many things, although they were mostly movies. Jughead gave him an indignant look.

“What?” 

“You’re cute when you’re fired up,” Archie said, smiling. Jughead flushed.

“Uh- um, no I’m not,” He stammered. Archie grinned.

“Sure. Anyways, Heathers sounds good,” He leaned back on the bed and found the movie on Amazon Prime. Jughead started it and stretched out next to Archie. They lay in comfortable silence for a few minutes, watching the beginning of the movie. Before long, Archie began shifting, his face contorted in pain. Jughead sat up and paused the movie.

“Dude, what is up with you?” He asked, exasperated. Archie made a pained noise.

“My shoulder. I hurt it in football practice- it’s killing me,” He groaned. Jughead paused the movie.

“Okay. Take off your shirt,” he ordered. Archie gave him an odd look.

“Why?” 

“Because, genius, I’m going to give you a massage so you’ll stop fidgeting during the cinematic masterpiece that is Heathers,” Jughead said. Archie smiled and pulled his shirt off. “Okay, lay down,” Jughead said. Archie did as he was told, and laid down on his stomach. Jughead shrugged off his overshirt and began to work at Archie’s shoulder. He couldn’t get a good angle.

“Hey, Arch, mind if I sit on your back? I can’t get a good angle from right here,” Jughead asked tentatively. Archie shrugged.

“Sure, that’s fine,” he answered. Jughead hesitantly climbed on top of Archie, and settled on curve of his ass. He worked into the knots of tension in Archie’s shoulder, slowly but surely working them out. Archie groaned a little underneath him.

“God, you’re magic,” he moaned as Jughead worked out a particularly tough knot. Jughead smirked.

“Yup. I’m, like, frickin’ Zeus or something,” Jughead said smugly. Archie was about to let out a smart retort, when Mr. Andrews walked into the room.

“Hey son, I- oh, you’re busy. I’ll come back,” Mr. Andrews said awkwardly. He walked out of the room and shut the door. Jughead moved to the other side of the bed and Archie sat up, his face flushed and his eyes dark. They awkwardly resumed the movie and settled back in, Jughead trying to ignore the large bulge in Archie’s jeans. Fifteen minutes later, Mr. Andrews returned upstairs, quite obviously relieved that they were in a less awkward position than before.

“Anyways, boys, tomorrow I have to be at the site pretty early, so you’ll have to make breakfast yourselves. Is that okay?” Mr. Andrews asked. 

“Yeah, that’s fine. Good night Dad,” Archie said, his eyes still focused on the computer screen. Mr. Andrews nodded.

“Okay, great. Don’t go to bed too late,” Mr. Andrews replied. He walked out of the room and turned off the hall light as he descended the staircase. They continued watching the movie, until about an hour later, Jughead started yawning.

“Ready to go to bed?” Archie asked, grinning a little at the sight of Jughead with his eyes half-closed and his chin cradled in the palm of his hand. Jughead made a noncommittal noise.

“We...um… we need to finish the movie, Heathers is instrumental in…um… forming the psyche of the troubled American youth,” Jughead mumbled. Archie smiled and turned off the computer.

“We’ll finish it tomorrow. Get in your pajamas, Jug,” Archie said. Jughead sat up sleepily and began pulling off various articles of clothing while Archie did the same. They were left in their underwear, and Jughead, in his sleepy stupor, noted that Archie wore briefs. Archie pulled Jughead onto the bed and turned off the lights.

“You like the left side, right?” he asked. Jughead nodded and shifted over as Archie moved behind him. Jughead felt impossibly cold, and Archie noticed.

“Dude, are you cold?” He asked. Jughead snorted.

“Always,” he replied sleepily. Archie turned on his side and pulled Jughead’s back to his chest. Jughead sighed.

“Man, you’re freezing,” Archie commented.

“Mmm,” Jughead snuggled closer, too tired to care about the connotations associated with that. Archie smiled into Jughead’s hair.

“Goodnight.”

Jughead slept better than he had in a year and a half.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: hey y'all! sorry i'm uploading this late, i've been super busy doing stuff with my family. also- an earlier version of chapter one had reggie beat up jughead, not chuck, so if you read it before i realized my mistake, just know that chuck is actually the bad guy, not reggie. anyways, i'm so happy that jughead actually IS living with archie in the tv series! but where's joaquin? I need answers! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Jughead woke to soft sunlight on his skin, pouring through the window and illuminating the empty space next to him. The bed was still warm. Jughead touched the dip in the bed that marked where Archie had slept, and sat up slowly. He felt rested in a way that he had not felt in years, not even when he had a home. Jughead slowly padded down the stairs to the kitchen, rubbing his eyes, and couldn’t restrain the laugh that escaped his lips as he saw Archie.

Archie was standing in front of the stove, in just his underwear and an apron that said “Kiss the Cook!”. He was whistling cheerily and flipping pancakes. Jughead walked over to the fridge and pulled out the milk, and in a moment Archie turned around and grinned.

“Jug! Hey, I’m making pancakes and scrambled eggs. Hungry?” He asked happily. Jughead nodded and quirked a smile. 

“Sure. I’m always up for food,” he remarked, pulling out a glass from the cupboard. “Hey, do you want milk?” 

“Yeah! That’d be great. These are almost done. Would you mind setting the table?” Archie asked. Jughead raised an eyebrow.

“Wow, Arch. Are you really so out of shape that you can’t lift a few plates?” Jughead joked. Archie laughed.

“Oh, sure. I bet I could lift you up right here, right now,” Archie challenged. Jughead looked skeptical.

“Yeah. Right.” Archie set down the skillet of pancakes and faced Jughead.

“Put down the plates. I’m about to prove you wrong,” He said. Jughead tentatively set down the plates on the dining room table and let out a dramatic sigh, spreading his arms. Archie studied him for a moment, then scooped him up into his arms, with one arm behind his knees and the other cradling his back. Jughead looked shocked- he had expected Archie to pick him up in a fireman’s carry, not this Romeo and Juliet-esque pose that made him feel like a damsel in distress. Archie smirked at him.

“Proved you wrong, yet again,” Archie said proudly. Jughead scowled.

“Yeah, yeah, you proved your point. I bet that you’re going to drop me,” Jughead said, his hands clutching tightly to Archie’s sculpted shoulders. Archie smiled.

“Dude, you’re light as a feather. I could carry you on my back and I wouldn’t feel a thing,” Archie said, his eyes looking fondly down at Jughead. It’s only then that Jughead realizes that he left his beanie upstairs, and his wild, dark hair is free from it’s usual confines. Archie leans down and presses his nose to the soft waves, smiling into Jughead’s hair as he struggles grumpily. They still. Archie lifts his head suddenly, and the smile is gone.

“Oh shit! The pancakes!” He yells. He gently sets Jughead back on his feet and whirls to the stove, grabbing the pan and dumping out the blackened mess of a pancake into the sink. Jughead lets out a laugh, and Archie follows. Soon they’re in full blown hysterics, laughing at the fact that Archie couldn’t even make proper pancakes without destroying them. Jughead stops suddenly, though, gripping his ribs. Archie rushes over and yanks up Jughead’s shirt, inspecting the bruised mess that is Jughead’s ribcage. He scowls.

“God, I’m going to kill Chuck. After breakfast, let’s rewrap your ribs. We still have about an hour until we have to leave,” Archie said, his brows knitted together. Jughead bats his hand away.

“I’m fine, Archie. I’m good,” Jughead says tiredly. Archie steps off, but Jughead can see that he’s not pleased.

“Jug, c’mon- they could get worse unless you watch them, and I’m not taking chances. I’m wrapping them for you, and that’s not a question,” Archie said. He turned back to the stove and grabbed the plates of pancakes and eggs. He set them down in the center of the table and sat down across from Jughead.

“Eggs?” 

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They’re ten minutes early to school, but the second they’re in the door Archie leaves. Jughead goes to the student lounge, where Betty and Veronica are seated closely together on the sofa and Kevin is furiously texting with an angry look on his face. Jughead takes a seat next to Betty, and gives her a small smile. She returns it at full brightness. Jughead had always admired her ability to light up a room.

“Juggie, where’s Archie? We still haven’t told him about me and Ronnie,” Betty asks, worried, as she intertwines her fingers with Veronica’s. Jughead shrugs.

“Man, I don’t know. He ditched me right when we got into school,” he says. Betty sighs. A second later, Reggie busts into the room, his cheeks red and his face unsure. 

“H-hey, Jughead- can I talk to you for a minute? Outside?” he asks nervously. Veronica looks taken aback, Betty looks worried, and Kevin is still angrily texting. While Reggie is by no means the worst of the jocks (that award goes to Chuck), he’s still not Jughead’s favorite person in the world. Jughead stands up uncertainly.

“Uh, yeah, sure Reggie,” he says, too surprised to think of a witty comeback. Reggie leads him out of the room and drags them into the empty stairwell.

“So, um, Jughead, I’ve been thinking… Would you, like, want to go on a date with me? Sometime?” Reggie asks quickly, his voice jittery and his hands fiddling in his pockets. Jughead is stunned. Reggie? The football jock? Jughead had no idea that he liked guys, let alone interested in Jughead.

“I-but-what? Reggie, I thought you were straight? The whole macho, football player thing?” Jughead splutters. Reggie’s cheeks flush pink.

“I, uh, well, thought I was, but… there was this party, and I hooked up with a guy, and it was, uh, better than with a girl,” Reggie says, embarrassed. Jughead can’t even believe that he’s having this conversation.

“Hey, Reg, I’m sorry, but I’m kind of…” All Jughead can think about is Archie, was warm hands and his strong shoulders and the scar between his eyebrows. “I’m kind of- figuring it out with someone right now.” Reggie nervously steps away.

“I’m sorry for asking… It’s just that- you’re so pretty, I can’t help it!” Reggie blurts out. He seems horrified after he finishes saying it. Jughead pats him on the shoulder.

“Hey, sorry Reggie, but if there’s anything you want to talk about… I’m here,” Jughead offers, and with that he exits the stairwell and walks back to the student lounge, still half in a daze. Betty looks up at him as he enters.

“What did Reggie want?” She asks hopefully. Jughead gulps.

“Umm… he kind of just asked me out,” he mutters. Kevin drops his phone in shock.

“Hold up, what?!? Reggie “Muscles for Days” Mantle likes guys?” Kevin gasps. Betty and Veronica seem just as shocked.

“Apparently… and- he thinks I’m pretty?” Jughead says.

“Who thinks you’re pretty?” Archie asks as he comes through the door. Jughead turns, and he’s met by the sight of Archie holding hands with the small brunette he had seen yesterday. 

“Uh, nobody,” Jughead says. “Who’s this?” 

Archie shoots a glance at the girl. “Oh, this is Kimberly. She’s my girlfriend,” Archie says, smiling. Jughead can feel his heart fall to his feet. Of course she’s his girlfriend. She’s his type- petite, long brown hair, upturned grey eyes with winged eyeliner that could kill a man, and big boobs, all wrapped up in a red bodycon dress that looks way too good on her. Jughead takes a step back. 

“Uh, yeah, great. I gotta-” Jughead says quickly. He backs out of the door and starts to run up the stairs, all the way up to the roof. He picks the lock quickly and steps out onto the roof, tucking himself up into his favorite corner, on a little cushion he put there so that he wouldn’t have to sit on the concrete. He sinks into the soft down of the cushion, and tries to think about anything else but Archie.  
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Jughead finally comes down just in time for second period. He hopes that his eyes aren’t too red from crying. Once he had started, he just couldn’t stop. That happens, when you repress your emotions. Jughead walked in with none of the materials he was supposed to have, only to learn that he had to find a partner. Reggie walked up behind him and laid a large palm on his shoulder.

“Hey, Jughead. I wanna talk. Partners?” Reggie asked quietly. Jughead nodded. They moved to the table at the right back of the room, as far as possible from the teacher’s desk. “How did you know?” Reggie asked quietly. Jughead shrugged.

“I don’t know. I just- I never thought of girls like that. I thought of girls like- I don’t know, straight guys think of their bros. And then I realized that I liked guys when they were shirtless and then,” Jughead lets out a sigh. “I just- got it.”

Reggie nods. “I- I think I get that. Because, like, I still like girls, ‘cause they’re soft and warm and smell good. And I would always look at muscles and shit and be like “damn, bro!”, but now I’m not so sure if it’s because I wanna be them, or if it’s because I wanna bang them,” Reggie says quietly. “And, like, I was at a party, and there was this really hot guy, and we made out and- stuff- and it was really nice,” he continues. Jughead nods.

“You should hang with Veronica, then. She likes both guys and girls too. But beware, Betty is probably gonna know whatever Ronnie knows, because they’re dating now and Veronica is terrible at keeping secrets from Betty,” Jughead offers. Reggie lights up.

“Oh, really? Archie owes me some money, then. I bet him that it would be two weeks until they hooked up, and he thought they were both straight,” he says happily. Jughead snorts.

“Is he blind? Veronica has been staring at Betty ever since she got to Riverdale. How heteronormative of him,” Jughead says, shaking his head with a laugh. Reggie giggles, and it’s oddly high-pitched for such a hulk of a man.

“Mr. Mantle! Mr. Jones! Please get back to your work!” The teacher calls from the front of the room. He’s very obviously annoyed.

“I guess we should start,” Jughead muses. Reggie nods.

“Yeah. I gotta get my grade up,” he says wearily. They pull out Reggie’s textbook, and begin to read.

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Jughead returns to the student lounge during their break period, with Reggie hot on his heels. They got along surprisingly well, but it’s still somewhat awkward- Jughead doesn’t know how to feel about Reggie’s crush on him. Luckily, Reggie seems to be handling rejection pretty well, and he’s actually fun to hang out with.

“Hey Juggie! Hey… Reggie?” Veronica says as they walk into the room. Betty is next to her, her eyebrows quirked up and a faint smile on her lips. Jughead sits in the chair across from the couch and Reggie perches himself on the arm. Kevin enters the room, and sighs angrily.

“Ugh! This is so frustrating!” He says, seemingly to himself. Betty pats the seat next to her and Kevin sits down, frowning.

“What’s wrong, Kev?” Betty asks sympathetically. Kevin ducks his head.

“Man, I don’t know,” he sighs. “It’s… never mind. It’s fine.” Betty gives him a worried look and lays her head on his shoulder. Jughead shoots a look at Betty- Kevin’s favorite thing to do is talk, and when he doesn’t want to, it’s a sign that something is wrong. Just then Archie enters the room, Kimberly on his arm. He narrows his eyes at the sight of Jughead and Reggie sitting together, and Jughead has to fight off a flinch. Archie sits on the couch and Kimberly folds herself into his lap.

“Hey, guys!” She croons, her voice high and syrupy sweet. Jughead hates it. She seems fake, like she’s too perfect, too nice, and Jughead doesn’t trust her one bit.

“You know Kimberly, right?” said Archie. “Hey Jughead, where did you go earlier?” Archie asks accusingly. Jughead raises an eyebrow.

“And why do you care? I don’t ask you where you go every minute of every day,” Jughead says. He’s more than a little miffed- Kimberly seems too perfect, too polished, too nice, and Jughead doesn’t trust her one bit. Nobody else seems to have the same problem with her. Betty is being her usual self, simply radiating happiness and warmth, and Veronica is being friendly. Kevin is starting up the daily gossip session, and even Reggie is puffing up his chest and flexing his muscles. And Archie? Archie is smitten. He looks at her like she’s his world, holds her hand like it’s the most delicate thing he’s ever touched, strokes her thigh like it holds the answer to paradise. Jughead misses when Archie looked at him like that.

Jughead had been thinking for a few minutes when Reggie gently tapped his shoulder and brought him back to the conversation.

“Wait, what?” Jughead says, looking up to Reggie questioningly. Reggie leans down.

“Hey, Betty asked about the project due next week,” Reggie said quietly. Jughead looked at Betty. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Archie glaring at Reggie, his eyes dark and his knuckles white from where he was making a fist. Jughead cleared his throat awkwardly.

“You mean the one due next week, Betts?” He asked. Betty nodded, biting her lip nervously. 

“Yeah, I’m not sure about my idea. What if I fail, Juggie?” She replied, worried. Veronica rubbed her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“Baby, you’ll do fine. You’ve got this,” Veronica cooed, smoothing Betty’s hair as she smiled softly. Betty gave her a quick peck on the lips and went back to reading her book. Jughead chanced a look at Archie and Kimberly, and was completely taken aback by her. Kimberly’s face was twisted into an ugly snarl, her look one of disgust and hatred, clearly directed at Betty and Veronica. Jughead narrowed his eyes.

“Kimberly, do you have a problem?” He asked, his voice shaking with controlled rage. Kimberly gave a sugary sweet smile.

“Oh, nothing’s wrong, Jughead,” she replied, her voice smooth and clean. Jughead felt a shiver run down his spine at the cold, dead way she said his name. He turned away, only to see Kevin looking at her with the same degree of hatred that he felt. He cleared his throat.

“Hey, Kev, can I talk to you for a sec? Outside?” Jughead said. Kevin nodded, and they stood and moved to the hallway.

“Man, did you see how Kimberly was looking at Betty and Veronica?” He asked urgently. Kevin nodded, his lip curling in disgust.

“Yeah. Just wait until she finds out that I’m a big fat homo too,” Kevin said. 

“Yet another homophobe is added to Riverdale’s ranks,” Jughead sighed. Kevin nodded. He suddenly looked awkward.

“Hey, by the way- I was just wondering… You have somewhere to live right now, right? Because my Dad said-” Kevin said. Jughead held up a hand and cut him off.

“Yeah, I do. I moved in with Archie and Mr. Andrews,” Jughead said. Kevin gave a sigh of relief.

“Good, that’s- that’s great. You like living with him?” 

“Eh, I mean- it’s Archie,” Jughead replied. Just then the bell rang, and Kevin and Jughead parted ways to go to their next classes.

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A few hours later, Jughead was sitting at the kitchen table next to Mr. Andrews. They were waiting on Archie- he hadn’t returned after school, and it was going on 4 and he still wasn’t back. Jughead was just about to break the silence, when Archie and Kimberly ran through the door, breathless. Mr. Andrews stood and drew himself to his full height.

“Son. And who is this?” He asked gruffly. Archie flushed.

“Dad, this is my girlfriend, Kimberly,” He replied. “I want her to come with us.”

“Umm… Hello, Kimberly. I’m Archie’s dad. I’ll need you to leave,” Mr. Andrews said. Kimberly blushed and looked furious, but reigned in her anger and forced a smile. 

“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow, Ar-babe,” Kimberly crooned. She swung her hips as she walked out the door. Mr. Andrews glared at Archie.

“I told you to come home straight after school so we could go shopping, Archie. I’m disappointed in you. And a new girlfriend? Are you sure that’s the right thing for you right now?” He asked. Archie frowned.

“I’m sorry for being late. But I really like her, Dad. She’s good for me,” Archie said beseechingly. Mr. Andrews looked skeptical.

“Boys, go get in the car. I need to lock up,” He said. Archie and Jughead walked to the car together, with Archie claiming shotgun and Jughead sitting behind the driver’s seat. Archie sighed.

“Sorry I was late,” Archie said. Jughead shrugged.

“It’s no big deal. Not like I was waiting here for an hour,” Jughead replied scathingly. Archie looked disappointed.

“Look, I said I’m sorry, okay? I was busy,” He replied. Jughead shot him a look. 

“Sure, whatever. It’s behind us. Your dad is coming now,” He said. Archie turned back to the front as Mr. Andrews sat down in the driver’s seat and started the car.

“Okay, it’s about a forty minute drive to IKEA. I think we need- what, a bed, a desk, and a bookshelf? The room’s already got a closet, so that should do it, right?” He asked.

“That would be great, Mr. Andrews. That’s more than enough,” Jughead said. Mr. Andrews smiled at Jughead in the rear view mirror.

“Nonsense, Jug. We’ve known you for years. You’re like family,” He replied. Jughead returned his smile shyly. Archie popped a CD into the disc player of the car, and they continued in cheery conversation all the way to IKEA.

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“What the hell?” Archie screeched as they pulled into IKEA. Despite it being his father’s favorite store (besides Home Depot), he had never been to IKEA and was incredibly surprised at the sheer size of the place. Jughead looked similarly confused, but his was a look of awe. Mr. Andrews pulled into a parking spot and got out, striding confidently to the door into IKEA and gesturing for the boys to follow him inside. They started at the cafe- Mr. Andrews insisted that they stop and get ice cream before going to find the furniture. 

“It’s the best part of IKEA- you go in with an ice cream cone in hand, and you instantly feel more confident,” Mr. Andrews said seriously. Archie couldn’t restrain his laugh, and Jughead soon joined in. Mr. Andrews simply shook his head fondly, and showed them up the elevator.

“So Jughead- what kind of bed do you want to get?” Mr. Andrews asked. Jughead shrugged.

“I don’t know. Maybe one that’s… I don’t know, black?” Jughead said uncertainly. Archie patted him on the back.

“Of course, Jug, to match your soul?” He asked jokingly. Jughead gently punched him on the arm.

“Obviously,” He replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Mr. Andrews led them through the store to the section with the beds, and waved his hand at the many different beds.

“Have at it, boys. I’m going to go look at the lights- there’s this fixture I’ve been looking at for a while,” Mr. Andrews said. Archie immediately pointed to a large bed with a white frame as Mr. Andrews left the room.

“Dude, look at this!” He said excitedly. Jughead gave it a look.

“Yeah, that’s cool,” He replied. He was investigating a bed frame in a deep black, with an abundance of drawers in the bottom. Archie walked over behind him and hugged his waist tight.

“Wanna test it out?” He asked mischievously. Jughead turned and gave him a look. Before he could do anything else, Archie shoved them both down onto the bed, pressing Jughead to the bed.

“So, what do you think?” Archie asked, raising his eyebrow. Jughead tried to keep the flush from rising in his cheeks.

“Yeah, it-it’s good,” Jughead stuttered. Archie’s lips turned up into a smirk and he pressed himself him farther down onto the bed.

“You okay, Jughead?” He asked. Jughead glared at him. Archie laughed, and peeled himself up off of the bed. 

“Dude, this bed is awesome. And check it- there’s a place for an outlet on the side! You can write your novel from the comfort of your bed!” Archie exclaimed. Jughead tilted his head to the side pensively.

“Yeah, this bed is pretty awesome. Let’s look around for a bit,” He said. Archie nodded, and they went around the store in a happy daze that left Jughead feeling like his heart was too large for his body. Two hours later, they were wrestling multiple boxes containing the bed that Archie had liked, and the matching dresser and bookshelf. Mr. Andrews looked triumphant, having successfully bought all the furniture they needed and a box of cinnamon rolls to top it all off. The ride back was nice. The second they got home, Archie was dragging the boxes up the stairs to put together the bed.

“Arch, you don’t have to do that right now,” Jughead pleaded as Archie began to study the instructions.

“Dude! I want to,” He replied, looking up. There was a kind of fire in his eyes that Jughead had seldom seen before.

“Okay, I’m going to go have dinner with your dad then,” Jughead said. Archie nodded and gave Jughead a hug, and then turned back to the bedframe and set to putting it together. Jughead left the room, slightly confused, and had a lovely dinner with Mr. Andrews.

Two hours later, Archie emerged from Jughead's bedroom, looking sweaty and somehow having lost his shirt. He looked victorious.

"Oh yeah! I got the bed put together!" He said happily. Mr. Andrews went to inspect his work, and came back down trying to fight a smile.

"Son," he started, breaking into a grin. "It's backwards."

Jughead wished he could've taken a photo of Archie's face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much for reading! it'd mean so much if you dropped a kudos or a comment for me. hope you have a great day!

**Author's Note:**

> a/n: thanks so much for reading the first chapter of "sugar, sugar"! please drop me a comment or a kudos and let me know how you liked it!


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